Perfectionism isn’t just about wanting to do well, it’s about feeling like you have to. Perfectionism paralysis often shows up in high-functioning professionals who look organized, driven, and “on top of things” from the outside, but feel constantly behind on the inside.

On the outside, it may look like you have it all together but internally, it can feel like you're barely holding it together.

Your days are filled with lists, color-coded calendars, and carefully blocked time, yet the hardest tasks never quite get done. You’re not avoiding work, you’re over-preparing for it, trying to make the perfect plan so nothing goes wrong.

Cognitive distortions like all-or-nothing thinking, catastrophizing, and an inflated sense of responsibility convince you that every decision carries outsized consequences. If it can’t be done optimally, it feels safer not to start at all.

The result is a hamster wheel of productivity without progress: longer hours, rising anxiety, procrastination disguised as planning, and a constant sense that you need more time, when what’s really needed is a different way of relating to uncertainty, imperfection, and internal pressure.

Perfectionism is often driven by anxiety and a deep fear of failure, rejection, or not being “enough.” And while it may have once helped you succeed or feel safe, over time it can disconnect you from joy, flexibility, and the ability to be fully present in your life.

In therapy, we’ll utilize a CBT-based approach to explore these patterns and more importantly, how to shift your relationship with them. You’ll learn how to step back from the inner critic and take action that aligns with your values.

Perfection isn’t possible, but purpose, and self-acceptance absolutely are.